MS SB2864

Reduces State Board of Mental Health from nine to nine members with new appointment structure: one member from each congressional district and five members appointed at-large, effective with staggered terms expiring between 2026-2032 and subsequent seven-year terms.

Requires four of the five at-large members to have specific qualifications: one psychiatrist, one Ph.D. clinical psychologist, one medical doctor, and one licensed social worker with mental health experience.

Eliminates Senate confirmation requirement for the Executive Director of the Department of Mental Health and removes the four-year term requirement, allowing the board to appoint and set terms directly.

Implements transition rules for current board members serving as of July 1, 2023, counting their current term as the first term for purposes of the two consecutive-term limit.

Effective date: July 1, 2025.